The shared-use path project for the Watershed Nature Center is still up in the air.

After the city of Edwardsville applied for Illinois Tourism Attraction Development Program (TAP) funds and was denied, Public Works is asking to apply for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) funds to get the project up and running.

If the city receives the grant, a shared-use path will be constructed from the MCT Watershed Trail to the Nature Center to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.

As discussed at Tuesday’s Public Services Committee meeting, City Engineer Ryan Zwijack said the project is much needed and should qualify for the ITEP grant.

“We previously applied for this project through a TAP grant and we did not receive those funds. So we’re going to give it a try through the ITEP grant. This will connect the Watershed MCT trail to the Watershed Nature Center down to the parking lot there with pedestrian crossing, across Tower Avenue,” Zwijack said. “Some details of this will change. This was a previous plan and we’ve since met with the Watershed and touched on it a little bit.”

The grant, if received, will cover up 80 percent of the cost of the project, including costs for preliminary engineering, utility relocations, construction engineering and construction costs. The city would still be responsible for covering up to 20 percent of the cost of the project, even with the grant.

Zwijack said the shared-use path is much needed, especially given that there is currently no ADA accessible route to the Watershed Center.

“There is currently no ADA accessible route from the trail to the Watershed Nature Center,” he said.

The deadline to apply for the funds is Friday, December 1st. The receiver of the grant funds will be announced in the spring of 2018.

Alderwoman Janet Stack was also in agreement that given the busy street near the center, the path connect would be beneficial.

“It’s a good idea because this is such a busy area in the summer,” Stack said. “Hopefully we could get those funds.”

As discussion came to a close, aldermen Craig Louer, Stack and Jack Burns were in favor of the resolution’s approval. The motion will be reviewed again at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

For more information about ITEP grants, visit the Illinois Department of Transportation’s website at www.idot.illinois.gov.